Phonograph sound-box.



-P. GATUGCI. PHONOGRAPH SOUND BOX. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1911.

, Patented Feb. 3, 1914.

wand sea 77k time STATES PATEN FFIC.

PLINY cnr'uccr, or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, Assmivoit TO A. r. MEISSELBACH &

- BROTHER, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PHoNoGnArH soUND-isox.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patci1tedFeb.3,-191d.

Application filed March 11, 1531 1. Si'i al iTo. $8,813.

To all whom it may conee'm Be it known that I, PLINY clamor, a'

citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Newark, county of Essex, and State Sound-Boxes; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such, as will enable others, skilled in the art to which it pertains to make, construpt, a nd use the same. V e

The object of, my invention is to so construct a sound box that it may be rigidly secured to a support therefor, and at the same time dispense with what has been termed a floating weight for preserving the requisite degree of pressure of the stylus upon the phonograph record, while such stylus is given'a freedom of movement not hitherto accomplished in structures of the kind and purpose.

Another object is to improve the stylus holder in the direction of cheapnss of com struction and effectiveness in operation.

vAnother object is to improve the means for throwing the st lus out of operative relation with the p ionograph record with which it is intended to be used.

Other improvements in the forms, of construction'or o eration will be disclosed in the course of te following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings'wliich form a part of this specification.

In the drawings Figure l is a side eleva tion of the sound box, showing the stylus thrown out of operative position. Fig. 2 1s a vertical section of the same, showing the stylus in operative position; each of these figures show the same operative mechanisms. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig; 1, but with a different form of stylus shifting device.

Fig. 4 is a side view showing another form of stylus lever. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the same as it is pressed into shape to form the supporting bracket for the stylus lever. Fig. 7 1s a perspective view of'the stylus lever. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the blank and Fig. 9 il same as it is pressed into shape. to form the stylus lever pivot bearing." Figs. 10 and 11 a perspective view of the.

are perspective views of diiferent forms of evices for throwing the stylus out of ac-- tion. Figs. 12,13 and 14 are respectively, views of "the blank, the stylus holder. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the form of stylus lever shown as a modification in Fig. 4. Fig. 16 is a sectional view of the eye-st'udconnection with the diaphragm. a

Similar letters of reference refer to like wa It should be stated at this point that all metal parts of my improved sound box are made of. sheet metal, pressed or cut to shape, so as to reduce the cost of manufacture to the lowest point possible, consistent with accurate and efficient results.

The box body 1, is made of a circular disk of metal pressed to the shape in cross-see tion as shown in Fig.2. Thus formed, it consists of the slightly coned (nearly cylindrical) part 2, the flatannular part 3, so as to form the second annular part 4,, with the rounded connecting part 5; next comes the annular bead 6 and finally thecylindrical connecting ring 7. struckout of the disk of sheet metal in the usual way, by a punch and die, as will be readily understood by those familiar with drawing punch and die work. 'llhe retaining ring 8, with its flanges 9 and 10, is also formed in the same manner.

The'diaphragm 11, is made of celluloid, mica, glass, sheet copper, or any one of the usual or desired materials from which such parts may be made, and is held in position between the flange 9, and the annulus-3, by means of the rubber gaskets l2, and if desired, the additional paper gaskets 13; these gaskets being located on both sides of the method of securing the ring 8, in position, after thediaphragm is in place,- the body 2 is indented at various points around its even indent the face of the ring 8. In this manner, I form a very convenient and cheap method of connecting the parts together, .without the use of screws, rivetsior the like.

Thisbody part 1, is

diaphragm as shown. As a convenient outside, as shown at 14, such indentations, extending 1n to a depth sufficient to grip, or"

In order to elongate the connecting ring 7,-

the side and the end of a parts throughout the specification and drawwardly extending central arm 30, w"

with the two arms 18, the central. lug 1%), the

laterally projecting lugs 20, and the extension 21. When the parts are bentto shape and finished, the bracket is in the iorni as shown in Fig. 6 with thelur 19, bent wardly and upwardly, and its end p not i with an aperture, to receive the enL of a tension spring 22, as seen in l to a l: lhe upper end of the bracket blank is hen at right angles as shown, and the all; apertures 23 and 24 are provided to recc' 1,. the pivot pin 25. The laterally projecting lugs 20 are bent either u i in Fig. 3, or downwardly, as shown in '1, 2 and 4:, to receive the stylus lever o'pcrating device 26, or 27, as the case may be. In order to provide for these operating de vices, and permit their convenient location I have made a slot 528 in the horizontal pm of the bracket,.so that in case the device 26, is used, the cam 29 may turn in said and when the device 27, is used, the uoject through the slot 28, and he lim its throw by the ends of said slo case it will be understood, that are provided with apertures t cc pivotal ends of the devices 2 or 2?.

Mounted upon the pivot pin 525, is a pivotal support 31, for the stylus lever 32. i

This support 31,.is blanked out of sheet metal the form shown in Fig. after which the apertured lugs 33, and are sent up at right angles to the plane the as shown in F 9. The lugs for pivot ally carrying the support upon l: e n p 5, while the lugs 34:, are for the stylus lever. This lever i shape as shown in Fig. 7', with the upper horizontal par vertical part 36,,at si'ibstantislly gles to each other. I Projecting .rwardly from the upper end of the part two supporting lugs 37, which are p secured to the support 31,, by the p 38. The rear end of the part is provided with the aperture 39, to receive u;

end of the tension spring hereto. re

ferred to. The lower end of the stylus vcr 32 has the lorwardl' no so 11 c C lugs 40, to receive the stylus holder 1s pivot-ally held therein by me; I of the pivot pin 42. From the striiicturc thus far pwardly as shown described, it will be seen that the stylus lever 32, is permitted to have a universal movement upon the bracket 17, within rea sonable limits, while *the tension spring 22, tilts the lower forward end of the lever 17, so to cause the stylus to bear with a resilient pressure upon the record, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3. The throwing of either of the devices 26, or 27, into the forward position will carry the lever 32, and with it, the stylus free from the record. The stylus holder ll, is connect d directly from its lower end with the diaphragm by means of the small wire link 43, and eye-stud all, the lat er passing through a small metal washer ll an. aperture -in the center ofthe dia phragm a second metal washer 46, the small end of the eye-stud being riveted outside the washer all When the stylus is made to bear upon a record, the vibrations of the diaphragm 11, he exact unison with the recorded at-ious upon the record, and the resilient pressure of the stylus, due to the spring 22, will result in a much more perfect repro- 2 tiou the'selection upon the record it has been hitherto possible with a sound box where such pressure is exerted th ou s, I attribute to the fact that the spring pressure is much more quickly responsive than weight pressure, forthe reason that a weight possesses a certain inertia not easily nor readily overcome by the delicate excavations and elevations in the record cove. There is a certain time element in the movements oi the weight which is entirely absent in the spring, the latter acting instantly. In some cases, however, in order to reproduce tones of comparatively low pitc and. large. volume, I find it advan- -tagcous mount a small weight 47, upon srd side of the lever 32, below its pivot bearing-38, as shown in Fig. 3. From its position, this weight has a tendency to I'" .ieve the 2-2, and as a result, relieve part of the pressure of the stylus upon the record; but the main purpose is to add gilt and consequent inertia to the parts Zililllletllittllf" connected with the stylus, and this results in greater tone volume. The

weight .37, is secured to the forward side of,

the lever by any convenient means as by the screw 43, whereby itmay be readily detached, when-the sound box may be used for the general purposes as above described.

The stylus holder 41, is of peculiar construction and ota char; cter to render it as -ht as possible consistent with the requisite n th, it is made of a lightstrip of sheet l, blanked out 1 as shown in Fig. 12, the aperture 4:9, near its upper end and )ivot aperture 50, near its middle. The nibs 51, are providedv near its upper gb the medium of a floating weight. j

end at equal distances above and below the is curled into tubular shapetomeeeive the jewel stylus 53, -and the nibs 51, are bent around to close the rear end of the tube thus formed, and thus prevent the stylus from being pushed through the tube under the pressure exerted upon it through the spring 22. The stylus is held in position within the tube by being forced therem, the elasticity of themetal being sufiicient to grip the stylus, but in order to insure its permanency, I use a shellac cement, the aperture 49, being provided to permit of its being put within the tube without danger of smearing the point of the stylus. As a means of providing a broad bearing for the pivot pin 42, I secure upon each side of the holder 41, the

two apertured bosses 55 i, withtheir apertures in alinement with the aperture 50. K

in the modification illustrated in Figs. 4: and 15, I substitute for the stylus lever 32, and its-support 31, heretofore described, the stylus lever 55, and the swivel stud 56. In this case, the stud 56, has at its forward end, the apertured and slotted enlargement 57, to receive the vertical part of the lever 55, and the stud is inserted through the apertures 23 and 24, of the bracket 17, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The lower end of the lever 55 if offset a trifle as at 58 and provided with the forwardly extending, apertured lugs 59, to receive the stylus holder ll, in substantially the same manner as heretofore described in connection with the other forms of construction. The rear end of the lever 55, has a downward apertured extension 60, to bring the point or" connection for the spring 22, into substantial alinement with the swivel stud 56, and

it should be here stated that the stylus lever' 32, is also provided witha similar down- .will be taken up by the lever support 31, or

the swivel stud 56, and. that the pull exerted by the link 43, upon the diaphragm 11, is always in a line perpendiculai' to the plane of the diaphragm. The parts are also constructed in such a manner as to secure improved results in sound definition nothitherto accomplished in sound boxes oi this type, while the structures are materially simplified by the use of sheet metal pressed The cheapness: (if-construction has also, been kept in ,view,1so thatno unnecessary labor or .material .ziSi used.

I claim: 1. In a sound box, the combination of a box' body, a diaphragm within said body, de-' signed when in use to lie in a vertical plane, ..a supporting bracket rigidly secured to said box body, an overhanging horizontal arm upon said bracket, a stylus lever, a' universal joint connection between said lever and said arm, said lower having a substantially ver- .tical"arm extending toward the center of said box, and a substantially horizontal arm, a spiral spring connecting the horizontal arm of said lever to a part 'of'said bracket and a stylus holder pivotally connected to the extremity of thevertical armof said lever and 'to the center of'the-diaphragm.

2. In a sound box, the combination of a box body, a diaphragm within said body, designed when in use to liein. a vertical plane, a supporting bracket rigidly secured to said box body, an overhangin horizontal arm upon said bracket-,a stylus ever, a universal joint connection between said lever and said arm, said lever having a substan}, tially vertical arm extending toward the center of said box, and a substantially horizon;

tal arm, a. spiral spring connecting theliorizontal arm of. said levertoa part of said bracket, a stylus holder pivotally connected to the extremity of the vertical arm of said lever and to the center of the diaphragm, and a shifting device mounted upon said bracket for shifting said lever and bolder out of operative position.

3. In a phonograph sound box, the combination of a box body, a. diaphragm .secured in sald box body, said diaphragm normally lying in'a vertical plane, a bracket rigidly secured to said body, said bracket being provided with an overhanging horizontal arm, a support pivotally mounted-upon said overhanging arm, a stylus lever pivotally secured to said pivoted support to form a universal connection between said stylus lever and said overhanging arm, means foresiliently holding said lever in its normal position, and a weight secured to said stylus lever for relieving the efi'ect of said resilient holding means.

d. In a phonograph sound box, the combination of a box body, a diaphragm secured within said box body, and designed when in use to lie normally in a vertical plane, a vertical supporting bracket rigidly secured to said box body, a horizontal arm and a horizontal extensionnpon said bracket, a stylus lever having a horizontal and a vertical arm, a universal joint connection between said stylus lever and the horizontal arm of horizontal 211-111 of said ic-ver With't he extensaid bracket, a stylus holder pivotally sethe vertical arm of said lever for acting in cured to the vertical arm of said lever, a link opposition to the tension of said spring. connection betveen said helcler and said dia- PLINY CATUCCI. phragm, a tension spring connecting the Witnesses:

L. M. SANDERS,

S1011 on said bracket and a, Wei ht secured to N. F. FRIEDD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by adfirssing the Commissioner of Eatems.

' Washingtun, D. U. 

